Page:Tales of Today.djvu/62

46 house a quart of wine, red or white, that you will light the candle."

Arthur goes his way; a man seizes him by the coat-collar and stops him. This man has before him a screech-owl and three harmless little adders; venomous serpents, he says they are, that he has domesticated. Several small birds, lying stiff and motionless upon their backs, have been taught to simulate death. If he allowed you to touch them you would see how easy it is for them to do the trick. This man is selling soap for taking out grease-spots. Vainly does Arthur try to get away from him, his enemy will not let go his hold; a crowd collects about them.

"I never set eyes on such a disgusting grease-spot as that which disfigures the collar of monsieur's overcoat."

Arthur gives the grease-spot man a thump in the stomach that sends him and his table rolling on top of the birds and reptiles, animate and inanimate, and then gives leg-bail, again; to evade the inquisitive looks that pursue him he enters, at hazard, a street that is unknown to him; it takes him into another street, and that into still another. Arthur is lost; he wanders aimlessly, he turns this way and that; finally he asks a commissionaire where he is; he finds that he has traversed half the distance on his way back to his lodging.

"It is my uncle's dinner hour; I won't go there to-day, I will go home."

The next day Arthur arose very early. He lost a frightful amount of time, the day before, in heating water to shave with; to-day he will shave with cold water. He has on his feet two slippers, one his, the